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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. staff — employees
  4. fall — the season
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. can — a tin
  18. fall — to drop
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. rash — hasty
  22. staff — employees
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com